Bumper structure



March 18, 1952 1.. D. THOSTENS'ON 69,

' BUMPER STRUCTURE Original Filed Sept. 9, 1946 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 ZwE/v TOR! Laws 0. 771o5TE/vso/v By HIS ATTORNEYS HARE/5, MECH, Fos TERJMRR/j March 18, 1952 L. D. THOSTENSON BUMPER STRUCTURE 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Original Filed Sept. 9, 1946 Patented Mar. 18, 1952 BUMPER STRUCTURE Lewis'D. Thostenson, Inglewood, Calif., assignor to Salsbury Corporation, a

fornia corporation of Caliuriginal application September 9, 1946, Serial No. 695,592. Divided and this application April 28,

1947,,Serial No. 744,278

2Claims. (01.293-61) u This invention relates to motor vehicles and has a special utility when applied to a motor driven bicycle or 'tricycler The present application is a division of an application for Front End of a Motor Vehicle, Serial No. 695,592, filed September 9; l946, now abandoned, of which I am co-applic'ant.

The vehicle hereinafter described may be called a motor driven bicycle, since it has two wheels, the rear wheel being driven by a motor and the front wheel being turned by handle bars to steer the vehicle. The wheels are smaller, however, than those ordinarily used on bicycle and are placed farther apart so that the rider may sit on a flat seat with his legs together and his feet resting on a flat surface.

The invention has for its objective the provision of a novel form of bumper structure particuarly adapted for motor vehicles of the type referred to above.

The advantages obtained by the use of this novel structure will be made evident hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view as seen from above of a vehicle in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a side view of this vehicle;

Fig. 3 is a view of this vehicle as seen from below the vehicle;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the vehicle shown in the preceding views, the front portion thereof being broken away to show the internal construction; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bumper used on the front end of the vehicle.

The present invention is best illustrated by disclosing its application to a motor driven bicycle, which is illustrated in the drawings, Figs. 1, 2, and 3 showing the complete vehicle. This vehicle consists of a body I supported on a rear wheel 2 and a front wheel 3, the vehicle being steered by handle bars 4 which turn about a steering axis indicated by the line 4a-4a in various figures. The driver sits upon a seat 5 with his feet on a flat support forming part of the body I. The rear wheel 2 is driven by an engine 6 situated below and a little behind the seat 5. The engine is controlled by the driver by means forming": no part of the invention claimed herein and therefore not described.

In the present improved motor vehicle, the front wheel 3 is rotatable on a wheel shaft or axle I5 which is carried at the lower end of a strut it which, in turn, is connected by an arm I3 to a steering shaft 12 (Figs. 3 and 4). The shaft I2 is splined at its upper end to a steering 2 tube 3| and the shaft and tube are adapted to turn as a unit in ball bearings"(not shown) held in a bearing housing assembly 2| which includes 'an outer cylindrical shell 22. Adjustablysecured to the upper end of the steering tube 3| is a member 51 which carried the handle bars 4. The bearing assembly 2| is supported from the frame SI of the vehicle by means of an outer conoidal member 62, the upper apex of which is secured to the upper end of the .shell 22. The rim of the lower base end of the outer conoidal member 62 is suitably secured to the forward ends of side members of the vehicle frame 6| as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. An inner conoidal member 64 has its upper apex secured to the lower end of the I [shell 22 and its lower base end secured to the inside of the outer conoidal member 62 to complete A novel form of bumper, best shown in Fig. 5,

is used in this vehicle, consisting of a curved,

' flexible horizontal bumper 10 secured at its rear end II to the side members of the frame 6| and extending around the front of the vehicle, a small space being left between the conoidal member 62 of the vehicle and the inner side of the horizontal bumper H1 so as to allow the bumper to yield under pressure. A vertical bumper I2,

'' also formed of fiat, flexible, sheet steel, is bolted bumper structure provides adequate protection for the front end of the motor vehicle, it being noted that in previous vehicles of this general type, no such protection has been practical, and such vehicles are in especial need of this protection. It is within the concept of this invention to provide a plurality of either the hori- Qzontal or vertical bumpers, or both, to protect further the front end of the motor vehicle.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a vehicle having a frame, a single steerable wheel at its front end and a conoidal supporting housing having a lower open end secured to the frame, the upper portion of said wheel being entirely enclosed by said housing, a bumper structure for protecting said housing, comprising: an arcuate, flexible, horizontal bumper member having its ends secured to the sides of the frame, said member extending around the lower open end of the hpusingin Spaced relation thereto; a bracket mounted on the housing at the front portion thereof and above saidi'bumper member; and a flexible, vertical, bumper member having a lower end connected to the central portion of said horizontal bumper member and an upper end connected to said bracket} 2. In a vehicle having a-irame, a single 06 61 able wheel at its front end and a conoidal supporting housing having a lower Op n end secured to the frame, the upper portion of said wheel being entirely enclosed by saidhousingabumper structure for protecting said housing, comprising: an arcuate, flexible, horizontalfbumper member having its ends securedto the sides of the frame, said member extending around, the lower open end of .the housing zspaced rclation thereto; a bracket mounted on the housing :at the front portion thereof and above said bumper member;

and a curved, flexible, substantially vertical bumper member having a lower end connected to the central portion of said horizontal bumper member and an upper end connected to said bracket, said substantially vertical bumper member :being :ofsubstantially the :same curvature as the iront portionof saidconoidaliiousing and extending in spaced relation thereto.

LEWIS D. THOSTENSON.

REFERENCES CITED 'The'fo'llowing references are of record in the 'fi-Ie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS "Number Name Date 998,788 Matthews July 25, 1911 "1,546,948 "So'hl July 21, 1925 1,706,162 Howarth et al Mar. 19, 1929 2,194,660 Huff Mar. 26, 1940 2,197,532- Spitz H Apr. 16, 1940 2,206,023 Bjrfadwell July 2 19,410 2,246,616 "Cherry -4 \June':241,11-941 

